Thoughts about Royals

Luxembourg National Day 2016

National Day on June 23rd is one of the grandest occasions in the small country of Luxembourg. National Day or Nationalfeierdag has been celebrated on June 23rd, five months after the birthday of the Grand Duchess Charlotte, since 1961. This year the whole Grand Ducal Family turned out for visits, parades, masses and a Gala.

The celebrations actually started the day before, on June 22nd, when the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa visited Troisvierges in the north of the Grand Duchy. Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie paid their traditional visit to Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg’s second largest city. Later, in the evening, both couples were joined by Prince Félix & Princess Claire, Prince Louis& Princess Tessy, Princess Alexandra as well as Prince Sébastien to watch a procession of firefighters and scouts carrying torchlights as well as folklore and musical groups and associations at the Place de la Constitution.

On the morning of June 23rd, the whole Grand Ducal family turned out for the official ceremony at the Salle de concerts Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte, also known as the Philharmonie Luxembourg. After the ceremony, the Grand Ducal and Hereditary Grand Ducal couples attended a military parade in the Avenue de la Liberté.

@Patrickvkatwijk

Later the Grand Ducal family gathered for a Te Deum service at Cathédral Notre-Dame. It was an inter-relegious service with Jewish, Muslim and Orthodox prayers in addition to Catholic prayers.